My most recent attempt at a healthy snack / dessert hybrid was successful! These chocolate chip bars are made with 100% whole grain flour and have less sugars than your average chocolate chip bars. Yet they are just sweet enough thanks to the delicious blend of maple syrup, coconut sugar (yes, brown sugar is an option!), and dairy-free yogurt.
When baked for the allotted time, they are a little cakey, a little chewy, and still soft / tender right in the middle. Feel free to adjust the baking time to suit your personal cravings, but we loved them as is!
I created this recipe for my family and So Delicious Dairy Free, to showcase their dairy-free yogurt, which I admit to personally loving.
Choosing the Best Flour for Wholesome Treats
I use whole white-wheat flour in these chocolate chip bars, which is a 100% whole wheat, but it simply is a type of wheat that has a lighter hue and milder flavor that works well in cookies. It is sold in most stores these days. I recommend the Wheat Montana (even sold at Walmart) and King Arthur Flour brands, but stay away from the Trader Joe’s brand, which is inconsistent and often very grainy.
Whole wheat pastry flour is another good option, but will make for more delicate chocolate chip bars. All-purpose flour will of course work well in the recipe, but will remove much of the nutrition from the recipe. Whole spelt flour is another tasty option that I enjoy in cookies. See below for my comments on gluten-free.
Special Diet Notes: Wholesome Chocolate Chip Bars
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan / plant-based, and vegetarian
What about gluten-free? You’re in luck! I’ve created a gluten-free version of this recipe.
- 1-1/4 cups whole white-wheat flour (see flour notes in post above)
- ¼ cup coconut sugar (can sub brown sugar)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder (1/2 teaspoon above 3000 feet)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅜ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted (can sub grapeseed, canola, or rice bran oil)
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce or So Delicious Dairy Free Plain Coconut Milk Yogurt, room temperature
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and grease and flour an 8x8-inch baking dish, or line it with parchment paper.
- If using coconut sugar, grind it into a powder with your spice grinder - this is optional, but helps!
- Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the maple, oil, dairy-free yogurt, and vanilla.
- Add the dry to the wet, and stir until well-combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter/dough (it will be thick) into your prepared baking pan with a spatula or damp hands, if needed.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and beginning to pull away from the edges.
- Let cool completely before cutting.
18 Comments
Pingback: Wholesome Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe
I making them GF using king arthurs all purpose GF flour. U said something about egg? Should I use egg?
Hi Samantha,
As mentioned, I haven’t tested it gluten-free, but if I were, I would use 1 egg instead of the yogurt. That said, I’m not sure if the king arthur blend has any gums or other binders – they may still be a little crumbly even with the egg if there isn’t binder.
Love these! They look so fluffy and delicious!
Hi Alisa – long time no see!!!! I’d love to make this for a friend – I need it to be GF. Any suggestions? I was thinking of trying Bob’s Red Mill’s new 1 for 1 OR Honeyville almond flour. Thoughts would be much appreciated as I want to make these soon! Happy New Year (a few weeks late)!.
warmly, Ellen
Hi Ellen, hmm, I would like them best with oat flour, and without any added gums, but they are a bit too crumbly this way. Your favorite super gluten-free blend should work, but are you okay with eggs, or does it need to be vegan?
FYI… I have yet to come across a maple syrup that does not have Carmel color in it.. Not to say they aren’t out there… Be caution when using maple syrup that has Carmel color as an ingredient, since that is considered part of the dairy family.
Hi Amanda, interesting. I’ve never bought a maple syrup with caramel color. They do have to state it in the ingredients. Also, caramel color is rarely, if ever derived from dairy. You can see my dairy ingredient list for more information on this: http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-free-grocery-shopping-guide/dairy-ingredient-list-2
Nursing my son who has allergies to dairy, egg and soy has proven to be quite challenging. I tried these cookie bars with a bit of brewers yeast and they are amazing! Thank you so much. Really, really, really good.
Fantastic! And what an interesting addition!
I was planning to make these for a relative who cannot eat dairy. Unfortunately, I cannot find any dairy free yogurt where we are. Can you recommend any substitutions? Thanks!
Hi Heidi,
We just made them today with applesauce instead of yogurt – they are delicious! I would cook them a little longer if you don’t want a dense blondie-like bar (we like them dense) – they rise and then collapse into deliciousness. Or, you can use a tablespoon less of applesauce for a thicker batter.
Delicious! I didn’t want to open a new container of yogurt for just a quarter of a cup, so I used pumpkin, which I already had open. I had to use closer to half of a cup, but they came out perfect! Not too sweet, soft, and pretty healthy to boot! Next time I would add some cinnamon 🙂
Ooh, pumpkin, cinnamon and chocolate chips – that sounds divine! I would think more pumpkin would need to be used (or pumpkin with a touch of liquid or oil added) since it is thicker than dairy-free yogurt. Thanks for sharing your modifications Alyson!
I just might have to try a gluten free version for ya 😉 these look incredible!
That would be fantastic!
Hi Alisa,
My son who is 3 years of age has an intolerance to Wheat/Dairy/Egg/Soya products.
I came across your website by chance and find it interesting. Have you come across where a person would have a tolerance to the above and would you have any simple receipes for me to try out?
Thanks!
Anne Hanafin
Hi Anne, yes, there are many recipes on the website that are free of these ingredients. Poke around! Here are just a few of them:
http://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/healthy-oatmeal-breakfast-cookies
http://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/raspberry-dairy-free-chocolate-pudding
http://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/power-vegan-gluten-free-muffin-recipe
http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-free-recipes/dairy-free-smoothies-latte-recipes
It sounds as though you are in the UK, too. You can use whatever milk alternative works for your family in the recipes that call for one. Same for the yogurt, or you can sub applesauce.